Connilyn Cossette is back once again after a 2 year break from writing during which she battled cancer. Her Biblical fiction books are always top notch and bring lesser known sections to life with in-depth research and deep knowledge of the Bible.

It's 1043 BC in Israel and Saul has just been proclaimed king. But the Ammonites are fighting and destroying Israelites, so it is imperative that they be stopped. So 3 young men, including Avidan a Levite, head out to join the soldiers. But Levites are the priestly class, so Avidan shouldn't even be with them. But plans change quickly when the fighting begins and Avi's eyes are opened to the reality of War, so he heads off to find his younger cousin whom they have hidden in a cave. One thing leads to another as he hunts for his cousin Shalem, stumbles across a young "boy" being beaten, and finds himself in one scrape after another.

This story begins slowly, but picks up pace and continues to grow until the very end. Cossette's descriptions of the life, times, and people place the reader right in the midst of this historical time period and keep the reader fascinated with what will happen next. The growth of both the hero and heroine throughout their adventures, especially in their faith in the one and only God, adds a wonderful thread to the plot.

Definitely a 5 star read and I look forward to the next book in this series.

I love this book. I love this book.

The author did an amazing job. How she did it will forever remain a wonder to me.

The characters jumped out of the page. They were very relatable, their struggles, victories, tears, were relatable. It was just is interesting reading how Keziah and Avidan in their own different ways, and collectively came into their unique walk with God. I was floored how the hand of God was so beautifully illustrated guiding and protecting their paths until they came into awareness of HIM.

The settings of the book leaves one in wonder, absolute wonder.

The beauty that this book is will remain with me a very long time.

I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.

With happy anticipation of an engrossing story, I cracked open Voice of the Ancient by Connilyn Cossette. The plot held an ebb and flow of danger that kept my attention without being too intense. Both main characters, Keziah and Avidan, were in their late teen years and retained some youthful naivete that lent a young adult feel to the novel. As events progressed, both characters matured in ways that created depth in character and story. I particularly liked Avidan’s coming-of-age progression as he learned to find his calling and embrace his Levite heritage.

The romance between Avidan and Keziah added a layer of sweetness to the overlaying danger in Voice of the Ancient. Avi’s integrity and kind treatment of Keziah endeared him to me. Some of the situational juxtapositions and statements about how the Israelites valued their wives and daughters seemed to be a bit of a stretch to me. (I’m certain many of them did, but in the patriarchal society of the Old Testament females were often chattel.) The slow-burn romance created a relationship built on a communion of minds and hearts that made me smile.

Voice of the Ancient laid a foundation for The King’s Men series by Connilyn Cossette as Avidan and his cousins appear together in a way that we may not see again until the end of the series, if then. Mentions or cameos of characters from Cossette’s The Covenant House series appeared fairly often, and I found myself wanting to reread that duology, but Voice of the Ancient works fine as a standalone. I recommend Voice of the Ancient to readers who enjoy coming-of-age stories with danger and romance in a Biblical-era setting.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

What a great book! Historical biblical fiction is my favorite book's to read. Connilyn Cossette is by far the best author in this area.

The Voice of the Ancient was an amazing read! I read the book in one-day. I stayed up late, but I just couldn't put it down. The characters were wonderful written and really come alive during the read. It was a page turner with excitement. You will love this book and like me recommend it to you family and friends.

I rate this book a 5 out of 5

I received this complimentary copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone.

This is such a beautiful story about Avidan and Keziah who meet not long after Saul is chosen to be Israel's king. She doesn't know who the true God of the universe is but by the time their adventures are over she will and she will also have a wonderful man in her life as well.

This was my first book by Connilyn Cossette but it sure won't be the last. I'm eagerly looking forward to reading more!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 15 August 2023

Connilyn Cossette has delivered another magnificent biblical fiction tale with emotional depth, historical accuracy, and rich spiritual truth. Best of all, this story has some amazing romance, a protective hero, and an action- packed plot! It was also heartwarming to see the truth of God’s steadfast love woven though every chapter. Voice of the Ancient depicts the early reign of Israel’s first king through the eyes of fictional observers. I had not been a huge fan of biblical fiction before reading Connilyn Cosette’s books, but her books made me love the genre again! I feel that a lot of other biblical fiction tells fictional stories about real biblical figures, changing or creating backstories and motivations as they tell a tale. For me, reading those books can blur the lines between fact and fiction in my own mind. But Connilyn Cossette tells the true story of Israel through the eyes of fictional observers in the center of the action, and thus sticks to biblical accounts from scripture without much creative influence. Because of this, she can deliver action-packed romance between new characters that gives glory to God! I only wish that Keziah and Avidan had met earlier in the book, but I know that the detail and pacing of their individual backstories before they crossed paths was crucial for telling their stories well. And once they met, the sparks flew! The character development was impressive, and I loved every character’s journey—not just Keziah’s and Avi’s. I am excited to see what happens to Zevi and Gavi in the coming books! I wholeheartedly recommend Voice of the Ancient, and I am excited for the next installment of The King’s Men series!

It felt SO GOOD to be reading a Connilyn Cossette book again! While I read slowly at first, once I got to the main inciting incident where Avi's quest begins, I became much more invested. I LOVE a good quest/road trip story (I've loved these since I was a kid!), so I really enjoyed following along on his journey--especially once he joined forces with Keziah! These two together... **Sigh** The way Avidan looked out for her and tried to make her feel safe with him was so sweet, and their friendship dynamic blossoming into love was so well done. Though they only knew each other for a short period of time before falling in love, it didn't feel rushed or unrealistic. Their relationship felt earned because of their shared experiences and I was able to buy into it.

I admired Keziah for her courage but also gentleness, and Avi for his commitment to loving and protecting his family--and those he "adopts" as family. I also loved that Avi was a storyteller and that he wasn't your typical warrior hero type.

The plot took so many twists, particularly toward the latter part of the book! Though I was ultimately satisfied with the story's ending, the route to that ending kept me on my toes. During the climax I was thinking, "Come on, Conni, give me a break!" because I was such a nervous wreck LOL!

Connilyn always puts a unique spin on her Biblical fiction by highlighting unexpected areas of the Biblical event or time period. This particular book shed light on Saul's early days as king--a period of Israel's history that tends to be overlooked--and the spiritual state of the tribes at this time. It was fascinating to see the different levels of idolatry that had crept in, from "small" misunderstandings of God's law in some towns or villages to full out paganism and perversion of the truth in other places. I felt just as disheartened as Avi to encounter Hebrews who didn't even know their own history anymore and had no idea where they came from. It's a sobering comparison to our own world these days... and the ending of the last chapter (you'll just have to read it to know what I'm talking about) convicted my own heart to remember WHO is the true King of Kings.

I'm really curious to see how the rest of this series plays out, and especially which cousin's story is up next. I loved Shalem, but Zevi and Gavriel were being a pain... I can just imagine the incredible character arcs that could be written for them though! I have a feeling they will both end up winning my heart in the end.

An excellent read and exciting start to a promising series! 5/5 Stars!

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Voice of the Ancient (The Kings Men Book 1) is a beautifully written story that swept me away from start to finish. The plot’s turns, twists and characters are well developed and the story is truly captivating! My thanks to Mrs. Connilyn for this beautiful story as well as the amount of time she spent researching and creating it.
I highly recommend Voice of the Ancient. I can’t wait for the next book in this series to be released!

Notification: I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required, all views expressed are my own. Thank you to Bethany House Publishing and Connilyn Cossette for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book.

Voice of the Ancient is a truly engaging story about two young people (mainly) who are living at the beginning of King Saul's reign in Israel - and they each have their own set of difficulties. Avidan is a Levite living amongst the Benjamites, but he would like to be a soldier instead of handling worship music, like his father. A born storyteller, he is close to his cousins, and when King Saul calls for all able bodied men to join his army to repel the Ammonites, he and his older cousins go to join the rest of the men - and they soon discover that their 15-year-old cousin, Shalem, has followed them. In the aftermath of the battle, Shalem is missing. Guilt ridden, Avidan is determined to find him before he goes home.

Meanwhile, Keziah, a young girl of the tribe of Manasseh, is being sold in marriage to a wicked, older man, Vadim, by her father in exchange for protection for their village against invasion. At first, she is resigned to her fate, but when she learns some things about Vadim and about her own heritage, she escapes on her prized stallion while dressed as a boy. When Avidan and Keziah meet, they join forces for practical reasons (no spoilers). Along the way, Keziah learns through Avidan and his stories that Elohim, the God of Jacob, is not what she had always believed, having grown up with stories of the kind goddesses and the angry, tyrannical god. Will she come to faith in the true God? Will Avidan learn to trust and rely on God instead of trying to control things himself? Will Avidan and Keziah reach their goals? Is something growing between Avidan and Keziah beyond helping one another during their journeys? Read it and find out!! I truly enjoyed it!

Words can hardly express my joy that this author is back to writing after a health scare!! I have been waiting on this book since closing the pages of her last one since I can never get enough of this author's stories! I was so happy to see that this book carried on the legacy from the last two books by following the children of the heroes of The Covenant House series. It was fun to see them as teens and walking their own journeys with Yahweh. I really liked how this book showed how the tribes had become nearly foreigners to one another, especially those on opposite sides of the Jordan, by the end of the period of the judges and really needed to be reunified politically as a nation as well as in their worship of Yahweh. I loved the journey of the characters who had grown up in pagan idol worship as their view of Yahweh was transformed over the course of the story. I will say that the main characters were a little younger than I personally like reading in a romance setting, and because of that, this book read more like YA than this author's previous ones. But that is a minor personal preference that didn't take away from this book deserving its 5 stars and more!

I was particularly inspired by the psalm the author wrote to guide this entire series and took the liberty of putting it to music. If you'd like to hear how I imagined it, complete with phrygian mode, a raised third, and harp accompaniment, you can listen to it here: https://youtu.be/Ne5yxLQPAlM The author reached out to me after listening to it and said its fictional author would be proud, so that made my day! :)

Disclosures: I read an early ARC of this book from NetGalley and was part of the author's launch team. I have also already purchased this book from the publisher and the audiobook from Audible.

My first book by author Connilyn Cossette was A Light on the Hill (Cities of Refuge Series) and I actually listened to that book in my car. I was so entranced by not only the characters and the story but the way the author made it all come to life for me. The way historical biblical settings and customs were brought to life just drew me in. I actually listened to that whole series through audible in my car. It was fantastic. Because of that, when I saw this title up on NetGalley for the beginning of a new series, I knew I wanted to read it.

This book is so much like the other series in that the traditions, customs and beliefs of the people of King Saul's reign are brought to life. It is so interesting to me. The foundation for this series is being laid down in this book. The families, the warring factions, the reign of a new king and four boys, on the brink of manhood, wanting to prove themselves. There is war, danger and a consistent forward momentum that felt exciting.

I loved Avidan and Keziah. Both are fantastic characters, full of life and love. Avi had a great arc of development. He learned some hard lessons but through it really came to know himself and who and what he wanted to be. I love that he is a storyteller- an audible book for any who will listen. Keziah has been through so much but she is resilient and brave. She didn't allow bitterness to override her other emotions and she was open to love when it came in it's many different forms.

What a great start to this series! I'm so anxious to know how things go for the rest of the cousins.

Content: peril, violence, kissing. Christian (old biblical) beliefs and customs.

- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The anointed one shall abide by the counsel of the Most High
The voice of the Ancient One to light his every step.
Once again in Voice of the Ancient, Connilyn Cossette takes us to the ancient land of Israel on an exciting adventure. In book one of her new King’s Men series, we are reintroduced to four young cousins we met in her Covenant House series, Zevi, Gavriel, Avidan and Shalem. These four young men are present at the choosing of Saul as Israel’s first king by Samuel and from that moment on their lives will be forever changed, especially Avidan’s. When King Saul calls for volunteers for his army to go fight the Ammonites, Avidan defies his father, mother and Levite calling and heads off to war with Zevi and Gavriel, not willing to be left behind, the youngest Shalem, stealthily follows. The defiance of both these young men will lead to consequences not thought of and start Avidan on a journey of discovery as he searches for that which is lost.
At the same time in the town of Kamon, a beautiful young girl named Keziah is about to have her world turned upside down by the decisions of her father and her maid Imati. As she dons a disguise as a boy and flees from the man her father has betrothed her to, she too begins an adventure that will lead her on a path to learning her true identity and about the God of her mother’s people.
Traveling together with Keziah’s beautiful war horse Sarru, Avidan and Keziah encounter many obstacles, but they also encounter the One who will be their guide and protector.
This book has it all, adventure, mystery, sweet and innocent love, new characters, great research and history, villains, and heroes. Like all Connilyn’s books it will leave you anxious for the next book in the series so you can continue the adventure.
Avidan: “I’d heard those words a hundred times from my abba, but somehow as I spoke them now, I felt them sink beneath my skin and settle into my bones.”
Keziah: “The moment of clarity for just how boundless Yahweh’s steadfast love was me for was so awe-inspiring, I nearly fell to my knees in worship.”
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Voice of the Ancient
by Connilyn Cossette
Pub Date 15 Aug 2023 | Archive Date 24 Sep 2023
Bethany House,Bethany House Publishers
Christian| Historical Fiction



Bethany House Publishing and Netgalley provided me with a copy of Voices of the Ancient to review:


The eldest son of a Levite and a Philistine, Avidan is torn between his obligation to his family legacy and his desire for something more. A local enemy attack gives him the chance to fight for King Saul with his cousins. Avidan refuses to leave one of the cousins behind when he goes missing during the battle.



In Manasseh, Keziah is the daughter of an important clan chief. As she faces forced marriage to a man decades older than her, she runs, hoping to find refuge with her mother's family.



A pact is made between Avidan and Keziah to travel together during their journeys and survive the dangers that surround them. To survive, they must not only rely on each other, but also learn to trust the true and eternal King of Israel to guide their every step.


I give Voices of the Ancient five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

She’s back! Connilyn Cossette writes Biblical fiction like no other, and I’ve been anxiously waiting for this new release of hers.
This story takes place during the early days of King Saul. A tale of four young men (it’s a spin off from an earlier series by this author, but this novel can definitely also stand alone). These young men are determined to go fight when Saul calls for men to join him to stop the invaders.
Avidan is the hero. He’s actually too young to go, but goes anyway. He has to learn a few lessons the hard way.
The heroine of this delightful story is Keziah. She’s from the other side of the Jordan River, and doesn’t really know much about the One True God. I loved seeing her grow along the way.
This story has action, adventure, danger, war, and of course, a hint of romance.
I highly recommend it for anyone who loves reading fiction. And especially for those who like Biblical fiction. I find stories like this help me so much in bringing the Bible to life before my eyes.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

When King Saul asks for fighters, Avidan sneaks away with his cousins to join the fight. In order to protect the youngest, they hide him in a case for the battle. Afterwards, there are few signs of what happened to him and where he went. Determined to find him, Avidan leaves the rest and searches alone. Keziah, the daughter of a clan chief, is set to marry a brutal and violent man. On the day of her wedding, her maid hatches a plan to free her. Keziah cuts her hair, disguises herself as a boy, and leaves with her horse. On her first day alone, she is robbed. Avidan saves her from the robbers and the two decide to travel together.

This was a fairly interesting read. At times the book felt too preachy and repetitive. Keziah seemed a bit stereotypical at first, but quickly grew and developed throughout the series. Avidan was easy to like from the beginning. I'm not sure I would pick up another book in the series, overall 4 out of 5 stars.

Voice of the Ancient - Connilyn Cossette - 4 Stars - A beautiful coming of age story for Avidan and Keziah set during the crowning of King Saul!

What a great start to The King's Men series! I am so excited to see what Connilyn does next! The way she weaves in fictional characters set during biblical times and events is always amazing!

This follows both Avidan and Keziah at the start of the newly crowned King Saul's reign in 1042 BC. Avidan and his 3 cousins are the primary focus of the series - they have a brotherhood that is as strong as can be. In this books, we follow Avidan and his search to find one of his cousin's that goes missing in their battle together. He goes on a search alone to find him, but runs into Keziah, the daughter of a powerful clan chief in Manasseh who is on the run from a forced marriage to a terrible man. Avidan and Keziah begin their journey together and her true origins start to be revealed along the journey. They start to form feelings and a bond for one another in their travels. As those out for Keziah continue to get closer to her and Avidan continues searching for his missing cousin, they realize just what is important to them and the true protection of Yahweh.

This books took me on quite the journey - we see so much going on in Israel as they crown their first king and then seeing our young characters off in war, arranged unwanted marriages, leaving loved ones -- all at the young age of 17. It shows how strong they were during such a time to be alive. Avidan and his cousins were starting to see the true meaning of becoming a man during their time by going off to war and Keziah was learning so much of her true family origins and having to make hard decisions at such a young age. We see some of the Israelites who worshiped idols and pagan traditions and some learning the truth of Yahweh along the way.

While the romance was a bit young and fast for me, it definitely makes sense for the biblical time and I really like the way Avidan and Keziah would do anything to protect one another. The swimming scene was one of my favorites between them. Also, I loved Keziah's horse, my heart! Overall, this was such an engaging storyline that kept me on my toes and I am so excited to continue in this stunning generational series!

Thank you to Bethany House and Baker Publishing for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Connilyn Cossette brings readers a brand-new series beginning with Voice of the Ancient. Avidan is a Levite who believes he is destined for battle. Keziah is a young woman who loves her horse more than anything forced into a betrothal with an older man in order to ensure her clan’s security.

From first meeting these two characters, I was intrigued by their stories. At the opening, we witness the appointment of King Saul. Cossette excels at weaving Biblical facts alongside her fictional characters, giving readers a taste of what life may have been like during the era of Israel’s kings.

Both Keziah and Avi are on the edge of their adulthoods. Both face some difficult circumstances, and both have extreme growth throughout this engaging story. I enjoyed how Cossette subtly wove truth in all the right places for Avi and Keziah.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Sarru because he was often the scene-stealer.
I look forward to seeing where the author takes this story with Avi’s brothers and cousins.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive or negative review. All opinions are my own.

Voice of the Ancient, Book 1 in The King’s Men series, is the first story I’ve read from Connilyn Cossette. I marveled at the history, the true Bible stories told throughout the book. This beautiful tale was inspiring, the characters so engaging, showing the author’s God-given talent as a “storyteller”. I can’t wait for the second book!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions expressed are completely my own.

4.5 stars

“Only Yahweh knows the end from the beginning.”

Oh, readers… you are in for a real treat when you read Voice of the Ancient, the latest beautifully written Biblical-era fiction from Connilyn Cossette.

Avidan is the son of Ronen and Eliora, whom readers first met in To Dwell Among Cedars, but don’t worry if you haven’t read that duology yet (I haven’t). You won’t be lost at all; it’s simply a nice reunion for those who have. Avi is ordained by birth to be a Levite, the ancient version of a worship minister, but he would rather be doing almost anything else. Which is how he finds himself heading off to fight the Ammonites with his cousins, directly disobeying his parents and his place among the tribes of Israel… and running into more trouble than he bargained for. I loved how Cossette orchestrates Avi’s coming of age journey on these pages, how she uses the events that unfold to help him grow up in both responsibility and calling, shouldering the consequences of his decisions and finding the grace of God over his life. I saw a lot of myself in Avi, despite our very different circumstances, a testament to the author’s talent in characterization.

Like Avi, in just a few short days Keziah’s world is turned upside down. If not for her trusty horse (who I absolutely loved – his personality is so tangible and the source of some of the humor in this book), she would be all alone. On the run from a would-be forced marriage to an evil man, grieving the loss of someone she only just fully knew, and at the mercy of the unforgiving countryside, Keziah’s only hope is that the goddess Asherah will intervene. At least, until she meets Avi and joins her journey to his… and begins to learn about the One True God who loves her more than anyone else ever could. I found myself fascinated by Keziah’s religious background, the author’s detailed research evident in every aspect of this book but especially here. I loved Keziah’s spirit, her sense of humor, her kind heart, and her bravery … and I really loved watching her and Avi fall in love.

Bottom Line: Connilyn Cossette’s Voice of the Ancient is rich in compelling characters, vibrant settings, emotional storylines, and impeccable research. Avidan and Keziah drew me in from the moment I met each, and their romance is pitch perfect in its blend of sweet and swoony (the swimming scene!!!). Honestly, I hung on every word of this story. It’s emotional and, in many ways, tragic – yes. But it’s also warm and uplifting, full of deep friendship and sacrificial love, with dashes of humor at just the right times. I am so intrigued by where the other books could take Avi’s cousins, and I’ll definitely be along for the ride!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

Another awesome read by Cossett that I very much enjoyed.
Biblical fiction is my favorite and Cossett is a very talented writer and it shows through her stories.
I always like seeing the Bible verses written into a a full story and this one was no exception.
I will say that the cover is simply gorgeous!
I think I most enjoyed the challenges that Keziah and Avi were put through to make them stronger, wiser, and
more responsible. Their journey became mine. I didn't want to let them go when the story was finished.
This book will leave you spellbound throughout this adventurous journey of hope, faith, and love with some quotes reminding us that God was and is the One who's always there no matter what happens. He has a plan and we can't change it even if we try or wanted to.
A favorite quote that I loved and a reminder that God is always in control
“In the kingdom to come, we may understand all. But for now, our eyes are blind to the ways of the Ancient One (God) are they not? "Only Yaweh knows from the beginning til the end." "You, my new friend, do not. "
Only in His timing will we know.
“One must always count the cost before setting his foot to a path, or he might end up getting trampled.
In other words pick your battles carefully.
5 stars for a well written story and one I highly recommend!
My thanks to Netgalley and Bethany House for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.